Banfield vs Newell’s
Banfield produced an irregular campaign in the Copa Liga Profesional, failing to fight for a ticket to the playoffs after accumulating 19 points in group A. In fact, they won only one of the last five league matches (two stalemates and two defeats). As a result, coach Diego Dabove left the club and Claudio Vivas took over in the two last Copa Sudamericana games, with the team drawing 1-1 against Universidad Catolica (Ecuador) at home and Santos (Brazil) away.
Newell’s Old Boys wasted their chance of advancing to the Copa Liga Profesional playoffs after failing to win their last three games (drawing one and losing two). However, they produced a decent campaign, accumulating 23 points in group A (which places them in a Copa Sudamericana spot so far). On away turf, the team grabbed a single point from the last nine on offer. With no new faces nor relevant departures, La Lepra won 2-0 in a friendly game against fourth-tier side Central Cordoba at home last Saturday. Coach Javier Sanguinetti will find it tough to pick his XI at Banfield. Pablo Perez and Martin Luciano are suspended while Nicolas Castro and Juan Garro are out injured. Djorkaeff Reasco and Leonel Vangioni, possible replacements, are also unavailable.
Banfield is not the most reliable team but at home against a Newell’s depleted due to injuries, they should get the 3 points.